Mixer with pivotable bowl

ABSTRACT

A mixer system including a bowl for receiving a material to be mixed, a mixer body having a rotatable output component, and a hinge. The bowl is pivotable about the hinge relative to the mixer body such that the bowl can be pivoted between a loading/unloading position and a closed position relative the mixer body. The mixer may include a magnetic bowl detector and the bowl may include a magnet thereon.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application is directed to a bowl that can be pivotallycoupled to a mixer, and to a mixer system having a pivotable bowl.

BACKGROUND

Mixers are used to mix and blend a wide variety of materials. The mixerstypically include a mixer body having a motor that drives a generallyvertically-extending mixing element, and a bowl that is located belowthe mixing element. The bowl receives the materials to be mixed and thelower end of the rotatable mixing element therein. The bowl is typicallydetachable from the mixer body to aid in loading and unloading thematerials into the bowl, and to enable cleaning, repair or replacementof the bowl.

In some mixers, the mixer bowl is vertically movable relative to thebody such that the bowl can be lowered away from the mixing element. Thematerials to be mixed can then be added to or removed from the bowlwhile the bowl is in its lowered position. However, even after the bowlis lowered, the location and orientation of the overhanging head portionof the mixer body relative to the bowl may limit access to the bowl toadd or remove materials from the bowl.

SUMMARY

A mixer has a bowl that is pivotally coupled to the mixer body, enablingthe bowl to pivot away from the mixer body, which can provide increasedaccess to the bowl. The bowl may include a magnetic sensor actuatorthereon for triggering a magnetic sensor on the mixer body when the bowlis in a certain position, such as a closed position. The magneticsensor, or some other type of sensor, may act as a single sensor thatdetermines when the bowl is both in a bowl closed and bowl up position.The mixer body may also include a bowl retainer or holder that includesa curved surface that interacts with a curved surface on a bowlprotrusion or stabilization member, facilitating slight tilting of thebowl when moved into or out of its closed position relative to the mixerbody.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a mixer;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the mixer of FIG. 1 with head coverremoved;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one side of a mixer bowl;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another side of the mixer bowl of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a mixer bowl pivotably mounted to amixer and in a bowl open position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the arrangement of FIG. 5 with the bowlmoved to a closed position;

FIG. 7 a partial perspective view of a pivot connection between a bowland a mixer;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross section of the pivot pin of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective of a rear portion of a bowl yoke with abowl holder;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-section taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a partial top view of a bowl locking bracket engaged with amixer yoke locking pin;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a mixer control system; and

FIGS. 14 and 15 show an exemplary mixer bowl sensor assembly on a mixer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a mixing machine 10 includes a mixer body 12having a base portion 14, a head portion or overhang portion 16 and asupport portion 18 (e.g., in the form of a column or pedestal)connecting the head portion and the base portion in a vertically spacedapart relationship. A front to back head portion axis A is shown. Anoutput member 20 (e.g., a shaft for receiving a mixer tool such as abeater or whip) extends downward from the head portion 16 in a directiontoward a bowl receiving location 22 formed between the arms 24 of a bowlreceiving yoke 25 that can be moved upward and downward relative to thehead portion 16 by rotation of the illustrated handle 27. In oneexample, the handle 27 operates a gear system within the column that islinked to the yoke 25 and the yoke 25 is mounted for sliding movementalong spaced apart tracks 29 at the front side of column 18 when thehandle 27 is rotated. A motor 26 may be mechanically linked to theoutput member 20, as by a gear system 28, for effecting rotation of theoutput member about a first axis 30 and orbiting movement of the outputmember 20 and first axis 30 about a second axis 32 (e.g., a planetarymovement or planetary rotation). A power take off 34 extends outwardlyfrom a front side of the head portion 16 and may take the form of aprotruding hub or boss that is adapted for connection with mixeraccessories such as meat grinders, slicers etc. Internal of the powertake off 34 is a drive member that is rotated by the motor 26 via thegear system 28. Head cover 40 is shown installed in FIG. 1, but isremoved in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-4, a bowl 50 includes bowl body 52 with upperopening 54 for receiving material to be mixed, and substantiallydiametrically opposed handles 56 (not shown in FIG. 24) extending fromthe bowl body for carrying the bowl 50. Pivot hinge components are alsoprovided. Notably, vertically spaced apart brackets 58 and 60 eachinclude a respective opening 62 and 64, with openings 62 and 64 alignedcircumferentially and arranged vertically one above the other. A singlebracket with two outwardly projecting parts could also be used toprovide the openings. In the illustrated embodiment, the body of bracket58 completely surrounds opening 62. Opening 64 is only partiallysurrounded by the body of bracket 60, such that opening 64 is open at anedge facing radially outward from a center axis 66 of the bowl. However,variations are possible. The rear part of the bowl includes astabilization bracket 68 extending therefrom at a position about midwaydown the depth or height of the bowl body 52. Located above andsubstantially in circumferential alignment with the stabilizationbracket 68, a sensor actuator 70 is positioned near the upper rim 72 ofthe bowl. For the purpose of this application, the rear of the bowl isdefined as the part of the bowl that is positioned adjacent the mixerbody when the bowl is mounted in a closed position on the mixer body asshown in FIG. 6. Sensor actuator 70 and stabilization bracket 68 arecircumferentially spaced from both the brackets 58 and 60, and thelocking bracket 90 (described below) by about 90 degrees.

When the bowl 50 is mounted for pivot on the mixer body (FIGS. 5 and 6),the bracket openings 62 and 64 engage with a pin 74 located toward theend of one arm 24 of bowl yoke 25, the bowl yoke mounted for upward anddownward movement along a mixer body column or pedestal 18. In theillustrated embodiment, the pin 74 is located on the right arm of themixer bowl yoke (relative to a rear to forward direction of the mixerhead). The mixer head is not shown in FIGS. 5-6. The illustrated pin 74is fixed to and extends entirely through the right arm 24 of yoke 25 toprovide both a vertically upward extending portion that engages with theopening 62 of upper bracket 58 and a vertically downward extendingportion that engages with the opening 64 of lower bracket 60.Alternatively two separate pins, one connected into the top of the arm24 and one connected into the bottom of the arm 24, could be used. Toplace the bowl 50 on the mixer body, the bowl is positioned to place theupper opening 62 over the top of the upwardly projecting part of the pin74 and the slotted, lower opening 64 is aligned with the downwardlyprojecting part of the pin. When the bowl is released, the combinedinteraction between upper opening 62 and upper part of pin 74 and loweropening 64 and lower part of pin 74 provides a stable pivot hinge forthe bowl that supports the bowl throughout its range of pivotingmovement.

FIG. 5 shows the bowl 50 in an open position, away from the mixer body,and FIG. 6 shows the bowl in the closed position, adjacent the mixerbody. When the bowl 50 is moved into the closed position, stabilizationbracket 68 moves into a support channel or slot 82 provided on the yoke25 of the mixer body. Sensor actuator 70 also moves into position toactuate or trigger a bowl sensor 84 located on the column 18 of themixer body. In one embodiment, the sensor actuator 70 is a magneticmember (outputting a magnetic field) and the bowl sensor 84 is amagnetic detector, such a reed switch. However, embodiments having anon-magnetic actuator that makes contact with a bowl sensor could alsobe used. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor 84 is located on themixer body such that the sensor actuator 70 only aligns with the sensor84 when the bowl 50 is in the closed position and the bowl yoke 25 hasbeen moved upward into a mixing position. The output of bowl sensor 84is provided to the control system of the mixer and the control systemprevents the drive motor from operating, thereby inhibiting automatedmovement of the rotatable and orbital output shaft (not shown) unlessthe bowl 50 is detected as being in the closed and up position. Othermixer operations could be inhibited, restricted or enabled based uponthe output of the bowl sensor 84.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, an exemplary bowl sensor configuration isprovided. Specifically, the bowl sensor 84 is located at the front ofcolumn 18, which may be a casting having a rectangular opening 300therein. A metal plate 302 is secured over the opening as by fasteners304. The sensor 84, which may be of externally threaded cylindricalconstruction with, for example, a reed switch embedded therein,protrudes through the plate 302. A nut 306 is threaded onto theprotruding part of the sensor 84 to hold in place and/or to protect thesensor 84.

Locking bracket 90 (FIGS. 3 and 6), which may be provided substantiallydiametrically opposite to brackets 58 and 60, includes an opening 92therein and an upwardly bent ramp part 94 extending toward the rear ofthe mixer bowl. As the bowl 50 is moved to the closed position, a lowersurface of ramp part 94 moves over the top of a locking pin 96 locatedtoward, and extending upward from the end of left arm 24 of yoke 25,causing the bowl 50 to tilt slightly and moving the opening 92 over thetop of pin 96, at which time the bowl tilts back downward to move theopening 92 into engagement with the pin 96 as shown in FIG. 6, therebyhold the bowl 50 in the closed position. The lower surface of ramp part94, while facing downward, extends generally upward and away from agenerally horizontal part of the bracket 90. To move the bowl 50 out ofthe closed position, handle 56 is used to lift the locking bracket sideof the bowl 50 slightly so that the opening 92 disengages from the pin96.

Referring now to FIG. 7, an enlarged partial view of one embodiment ofthe pin 74 in cooperation with the brackets 58 and 60 of bowl 50 isshown. In this embodiment brackets 58 and 60 extend from a commonbracket link 100. Upper part 102 of pin is tapered or rounded for easeof receiving the opening of bracket 58. Lower part 104 of pin 74includes a cutout or cutaway 106 (best seen in the partial cross-sectionof FIG. 8) at its rearward facing side to provide a slight rearwardlylocated spacing 108 (FIG. 7) between the opening of bracket 60 and thepin part 104. This spacing 108 facilitates slight tilting of the bowl inthe direction of arrow 10 when the bowl is moved to or from its closedposition as described above. In one embodiment the bracket 60 mayactually be in a non-contacting position relative to lower pin part 104when the bowl is in the closed position, with bracket 60 only contactinglower pin part 104 when the bowl is pivoted out of the closed position.

Referring now to FIG. 9, an enlarged partial view of a rear portion of abowl yoke 25 is shown. Whereas FIG. 5 provides a support channel 82 inthe form of a generally C-shaped member with a rectangular channeltherein, the embodiment of FIG. 9 provides a bowl retainer or holder 120with an opening 122 that provides one or more curved surfaces therein.In particular, referring to FIG. 10, a cross section of the holder takenalong line 10-10 of FIG. 9 is shown, where a stabilization member 124that protrudes from a bowl body 52 is also shown. Notably, stabilizationmember 124 has a configuration different than the stabilization bracket68 of FIG. 4. Inner surface 126 of opening 122 is generally curved fromtop to bottom, and the outer surface 128 of stabilization member 124 isalso curved. The curvature of the two surfaces may be substantially thesame. When the bowl 50 is in the closed position with member 124 inopening 122 as shown, the surface 128 of member 124 contacts the surface126 of the opening 122 to provide some restriction against bowlmovement. However, the curved surfaces permit the bowl to be readilytipped in the manner shown by arrow 130 when the bowl is moved to orfrom its closed position as described above. Moreover, rattling noiseduring mixing operations is effectively reduced, as compared to theC-shaped channel 82 and stabilization bracket 68, because any up anddown movement of member 124 within opening 122 tends to result insliding contact between the surfaces 126 and 128. As shown in FIG. 11,which shows a cross-section of the holder taken along line 11-11 of FIG.9, the surface 126 of opening 122 may also be curved from side-to-side.Such curvature facilitates readily cleaning the surface 126. Theside-to-side curvature, which may bar arcuate, may generally be slightlylarger than that defined by the movement path of the member 124 duringpivot of the bowl 50, thereby allowing member 124 to readily move intoand out of the opening 122.

Referring now to FIG. 12, a top view of another embodiment of a bowllocking bracket 140 is shown. As compared to locking bracket 90 of FIG.3, locking bracket 140 includes opening 142 that is oval, or otherwiseelongated, instead of circular. Opening 142 is shown engaged with thelocking pin 96 as would be the case when the bowl 50 is in its closedposition. Notably, the oval nature of the opening 142 is in theside-to-side direction reflected by arrow 144 (also generally a radiallyoutward direction relative to an upright axis of the bowl) to allow playin that direction, but the opening 142 is sized in front-to-reardirection 146 (also generally a direction tangential to an outer surfaceof the bowl body and/or perpendicular to radial direction 144) tocooperate closely with the pin 96 and restrict any significant movementin such direction 146. By forming opening 142 as an elongated slot,manufacturing tolerances for the bowl with locking bracket can be moreforgiving.

FIG. 13 provides a schematic of a basic drive system that includes acontrol unit 200 associated with motor 26 that is in turn connected togearing system 28 to rotate the output member 20. The bowl positionsensor 84 is connected to and/or may be considered part of the controlunit 200 (e.g., as by providing an electronic input thereto or as bycontrolling the state of a relay that allows power to be delivered tothe motor 26).

It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended byway of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by wayof limitation, and that changes and modifications are possible. Forexample, as an alternative to locking pin 96, a recess in left arm 24,could be provided. Further, a locking pin 96 could be retractable intothe arm 24 and spring-biased into an upward position. Still further,whereas the illustrated embodiment uses a bowl with a separatestabilization member and sensor actuator, it is contemplated that thetwo could be combined into a single piece, as by incorporating a magnetinto the stabilization member and relocating the sensor on the mixerbody if necessary. Other variations are possible.

1. A mixer for receiving a pivotable mixer bowl, the mixer comprising: amixer body having a head portion with an output component extendingdownward toward a bowl receiving yoke, the output component operable forplanetary movement, the bowl receiving yoke movable upward and downwardalong a pedestal; a motor operatively connected for driving the outputcomponent; at least one hinge component on the bowl receiving yoke, thehinge component at least in part defining a substantially upright bowlpivot axis; and a control unit, including a single sensor located on themixer body for detecting a bowl closed and up condition, the bowl closedand up position being when (i) the bowl is in its closed position and(ii) the yoke is in a raised position, the control unit operates toprevent operation of the motor until the sensor detects the bowl closedand up condition.
 2. The mixer of claim 1 wherein the single sensor islocated on the pedestal.
 3. The mixer of claim 1 wherein the singlesensor is a magnetic detector.
 4. The mixer of claim 1, furthercomprising a bowl pivotably mounted to the hinge component for movementbetween the bowl closed position and a bowl open position relative tothe mixer body, the bowl includes a magnet thereon that provides amagnetic field to trigger the sensor if both (i) the bowl is in itsclosed position and (ii) the yoke is in the raised position.
 5. Themixer of claim 1 wherein the at least one hinge component is located onthe bowl receiving yoke and comprises a first pin part extending upwardfrom the bowl yoke and a second pin part extending downward from thebowl receiving yoke.
 6. The mixer of claim 5 wherein the first pin partand the second pin part are formed by opposite ends of a common pin thatextends through the bowl receiving yoke.
 7. The mixer of claim 5 whereinthe first pin part and the second pin part are formed by separate pins.8. The mixer of claim 1 wherein the bowl receiving yoke includes a bowlholder having an opening thereon, an inner surface of the bowl holder iscurved at least from top-to-bottom.
 9. The mixer of claim 8 including abowl pivotably mounted thereon for movement between the bowl closedposition and a bowl open position, the bowl includes a stabilizationmember extending therefrom, the stabilization member moves into the bowlholder when the bowl is in the closed position, the stabilization memberincludes an outer surface that is curved.
 10. The mixer of claim 1wherein: the single sensor is a magnetic detector; a bowl is pivotablymounted to the hinge component for movement between the bowl closedposition and a bowl open position relative to the mixer body, the bowlincludes a magnet thereon that provides a magnetic field to trigger thesensor if both (i) the bowl is in its closed position and (ii) the yokeis in the raised position.
 11. The mixer of claim 10 wherein: the bowlreceiving yoke includes a bowl holder having an opening thereon, aninner surface of the bowl holder is curved at least from top-to-bottom;the bowl includes a stabilization member extending therefrom, thestabilization member moves into the bowl holder when the bowl is in theclosed position, the stabilization member includes an outer surface thatis curved.
 12. The mixer of claim 1 wherein: a bowl is pivotably mountedto the hinge component for movement between the bowl closed position anda bowl open position relative to the mixer body, the bowl includes amagnet thereon that provides a sensor trigger thereon to trigger thesensor only if both (i) the bowl is in its closed position and (ii) theyoke is in the raised position.
 13. A mixer for receiving a pivotablemixer bowl, the mixer comprising: a mixer body having a head portionwith an output component extending downward toward a bowl receivingyoke, the output component operable for planetary movement, the bowlreceiving yoke movable upward and downward along a pedestal; a motoroperatively connected for driving the output component; at least onehinge component on the bowl receiving yoke, the hinge component at leastin part defining a substantially upright bowl pivot axis; and a controlunit, including a single sensor located on the mixer body for detectinga bowl closed and up condition, the control unit operates to preventoperation of the motor until the sensor detects the bowl closed and upcondition; wherein the at least one hinge component is located on thebowl receiving yoke and comprises a first pin part extending upward fromthe bowl yoke and a second pin part extending downward from the bowlreceiving yoke; wherein the first pin part and the second pin part areformed by opposite ends of a common pin that extends through the bowlreceiving yoke.
 14. The mixer of claim 13 wherein: the single sensor isa magnetic detector; a bowl is pivotably mounted to the hinge componentfor movement between the bowl closed position and a bowl open positionrelative to the mixer body, the bowl includes a magnet thereon thatprovides a magnetic field to trigger the sensor if both (i) the bowl isin its closed position and (ii) the yoke is in a raised position. 15.The mixer of claim 14 wherein: the bowl receiving yoke includes a bowlholder having an opening thereon, an inner surface of the bowl holder iscurved at least from top-to-bottom; the bowl includes a stabilizationmember extending therefrom, the stabilization member moves into the bowlholder when the bowl is in the closed position, the stabilization memberincludes an outer surface that is curved.
 16. The mixer of claim 13wherein: a bowl is pivotably mounted to the hinge component for movementbetween the bowl closed position and a bowl open position relative tothe mixer body, the bowl includes a magnet thereon that provides asensor trigger thereon to trigger the sensor only if both (i) the bowlis in its closed position and (ii) the yoke is in a raised position.